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'(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

' M. E. SMITH & A. M. GLAZE.

Rotary Brick Machine.

No. 232,769. Patented Sept. 28,1880.

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E. SMITH 80 A. M. GLAZE.

Rotary Brick Machine.

NO 232,769. I Patented Sept. 28,1880.

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MICHAEL E. SMITH AND ALEXANDER M. GLAZE, 0F TRAER, IOWA; SAID GLAZE ASSIGNOR TO LIZZIE A. GLAZE, OF SAME PLACE.

ROTARY BRlCK-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 232,769, dated September 28, 1880. Application filed April 5, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, MICHAEL E. SMITH and ALEXANDER M. GLAZE, of Traer, in the county of Tama and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Brick-Machines; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Our invention relates to an improvement in rotary brick-machines, the object being to provide a machine of this character in which the molds are located on the periphery of a revolving wheel'and receive their charge of clay from a hopper or pug-mill above the same, and in which the clay, after it has been passed into the molds, is compressed by the application of force communicated thereto by a press-wheel situated directly above the mold-wheel, said press-wheel being provided with outwardlyprojecting arms furnished with laterallyhinged blocks or compressors corresponding and registering with the depressions in the periphery of the mold-wheel, which latter are provided with movable bottoms or plungers adapted to be forced outwardly, thereby discharging the green bricks upon an endless apron or track by two wheels placed on each side of, beneath, and a little to the right of, the metallic packing-boxes in which the moldwheel shaft runs.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a front view in side elevation. Fig. 2 is a rear view in elevation. Fig. 3 is a plan view of our improvement. Fig. 4 is a view in longitudinal section. Fig. 5 is a detached view of the mold-wheel. Fig. 6 is a detached view of the press'wheel with laterally-hinged arms attached.

A A represent the main sills supporting the frame-work of the machine. A is a supplemental supporting frame, having a supple mental sill, A This supplemental frame is designed to provide suitable bearings for the main shaft, through which actuation is imparted to the machine from the motor. B B B 13 are the four uprights attached to the sills AA, and further held in rigid position by the end cross-bars, Z) Z) b placed between them, and respectively near their upper and lower ends. 0 O are the longitudinal frame-pieces placed upon and secured to the uprights. The whole frame is further strengthened and given rigidity by a series of vertical and horizontal tie-rods securely bolted to the frame-work.

To the sills A A are secured the journal bearings a a, in which are journaled the opposite ends of the main shaft 1), on which is secured a pulley, D, over which is placed a belt, d, encircling a pulley, 61, secured to the shaft D having the stirrer of the hopper or pug-mill connected therewith.

Shaft D is journaled in the journal-bearings E E, secured to the longitudinal frame-pieces O O, and projects through and beyond the journal-bearings to admit of the attachment of the pulley d and the fly or balance wheel E and is prevented from longitudinal movement in its bearings by the annular rings or flanges c c. i

To the shaft D are secured three or more sets of stirrers, 0 preferably detachable that they may be the more easily removed when worn, which act with arms 0 attached in rigid adjustment in a concave in the pug-mill or hopper F to break up and knead the clay before it passes into the brick-molds in the periphery of the mold-wheel.

The hopper F is provided with a clay-receivin g receptacle, F, with outwardly-fiarin g sides, and adapted to convey the clay thrown therein directly onto the stirrers 0 by which it will be thrownover onto and broken up by the rigid arms 0 located in the concave d of the hopper. The-hopper is further provided with a cover or protector, F of suitable shape, and adapted, by recesses in its side walls, to be set down upon the stirrer-shaft D the recesses fitting over the shaft. This cover prevents the flying clay and clay-dust, when the stirrer is rapidly revolving, from clogging up and obstructing the free operation of the mold and press wheels. The walls of the hopper converge as they approach the mold-wheel ,forming a trough of the same width as the wheel, the front wall, 0, thereof being adapted to scrape IOO the superfluous clay from the wheel, thereby leaving the brick-mold or depression therein just even full as it passes on for the compressing action of the press-wheel.

To the rear end of the shaft D is attached a balance or fly wheel, E, which serves to give increased overcoming power to the machine, and also renders it steady and even in its operation.

To the main shaft D is secured a cog-wheel, G, which meshes with the large gear-wheel, G, which latter is attached to the mold-wheel shaft G journaled in the journal-bearings g g, respectively, secured to the upper face of the longitudinal cross-pieces H H. On this moldwheel shaft G the large mold-wheel G revolves from left to right. The periphery of this wheel is provided with any desired number of brick-molds or depressions, 9 the dimensions whereof are exactly the same as those of the brick which it is desired to manufacture. These brick-molds or depressions are provided with false bottoms or plungers 0, which have free movement therein, and are furnished with horizontal releasing-arms g, which arms engage with the small wheels or cams h h, pivoted or secured in equivalent manner to the inside faces of the longitudinal cross-pieces H H, their office being to force the false bottoms or plunger of the brick-molds out even with the periphery of the wheel, thus discharging the molded brick.

Midway of that portion of the sills A A which comes between the uprights is journ aled a drum or cylinder, I, which is connected with another similar drum or cylinder, 1 journaled between the projecting ends of the main sills A A, by an endless track or apron, 0, encircling both said cylinders or drums, I 1 This apron 0 is actuated, in rotation from left to right, by a belt, i, passed over a pulley, i, attached to the shaft 0 on which the drum I revolves, and over a pulley, 0 secured to the rear end of the mold-wheel shaft G In j ournal-bearin gs J J, secured to the longitudinal cross-pieces H H, is journaled the fly or balance wheel shaft, to one end of which is attached a cog-wheel, j, meshing with the large geanwheel G, and to the other and rear end the balance-wheel J which latter is designed to give increased power and evenness of motion to the machine.

Press-wheel L is mounted on the press-wheel shaft L, said shaft being journaled in the journal-bearings Z Z, respectively, suspended from the lower face of the longitudinal frame pieces 0 O. The press-wheel here shown is formed with four outwardly-projecting arms, but more may be made use of if desired. To each of these arms is attached a compressor or block of substantially the same measurement in every dimension, and a counterpart of the brick-molds or depressions in the periphery of the mold-wheel, being just enough smaller to be admitted therein with close connection. The blocks or compressors are secured to the arms of the wheel by broad hinge attachment, which provides avery simple and firm hearing. In order to give the block greater freedom of motion the ends of the outwardly-projccting arms of the press-wheel are beveled, as at m in the drawings.

The press-wheel L is actuated in motion by a cog-wheel, 0 attached to that end of the press-wheel shaft L which projects through the suspended journal-bearing l, said wheel meshing with the large gear-wheel G.

The frame-work, consisting of the sills, end pieces, longitudinal frame-pieces, uprights, &c., of my brick -inachine is preferably of wood, strengthened and made rigid, and therefore capable of withstanding great strain by the use of vertical and longitudinal tie-rods securely bolted to the frame.

The hopper or pug-mill may be built of sheet or cast iron, or iron in combination with wood, and the mold-wheel, press-wheel, and cogs may be either of cast metal or steel, that metal offering the greatest resistance to the wearing action of clay being most desirable.

Instead of forming the molds as described and shown, we may insert suitably-arranged steel boxes in the periphery of the mold-wheel. A cast-iron wheel might be thus provided with steel molds or boxes, and thereby be made equally as efficient and lasting as a wheel of solid steel.

Having described our invention in detail, we will now proceed to describe the operation thereof.

The dry clay is first thrown into the hopper or pug-mill, where it is thoroughly kneaded and freed of lumps by the outwardly-flaring arms on the revolving stirrer-shaft, acting in connection with the arms in rigid adjustment situated in a concave formed therefor in the hopper, the clay so manipulated descending by its own gravity, and crowded down by the ever inpouring supply at the mouth of the pug-mill, falls into the brick-mold or depression presented at that moment by the moldwheel, and is pressed therein with a force equal to its own gravity and the weight of the mass above. As the mold-wheel revolves all superfluous clay on the wheel will be removed and the mold left even full with clay by the front piece-or scraper of the pug-mill. As the press-wheel revolves the compressors or blocks will of their own gravity, as they pass a vertical position, fall over from the right to the left, resting for a short time on the beveled edge of the projecting arm of the press-wheel, to which the said compressor-block is hinged, and at length hang perpendicularly down. The revolutions of the mold and press wheels are so timed that as soon as a mold or depression in the periphery of the mold-wheel is filled even full with clay andpassed from under the scraper it is immediately presented to the compressing action of one of the hinged blocks or compressors on the press-wheel G.-

These blocks have broad hinged bearing on the projecting arms of the press-wheel, and are direct and uniform in their compressing action, the force being equally distributed over the whole surface of clay in the mold. The bricks so produced will be uniform in texture and density. The clay in the mold having thus been'subjected to the action of the eompressingblock, the wheel meanwhile passing through but a small are of a circle, the block will, by reason of the free swinging movement which it has on its pivoted bear in g, be lifted from the mold without disturbing the molded brick. The mold-wheel revolving from left to right will carry the molded bricks around until the horizontal releasingarms passing through the false bottom or plungers of the brick-molds, come in contact with the peripheries of the two small wheels or cams, which are pivoted or secured in equivalent manner to the inside faces of the lower longitudinal cross-pieces and a little to the right of the journal-boxes in which the moldwheel shaft is journaled. These wheels or cams, acting through the medium of the longitudinal releasing-arms, force the plunger or false bottom of the brick-mold out even with the periphery of the mold-wheel. The bricks in the molds being so displaced will fall on the apron or track underneath, from which they may be removed and carried to the burningkiln.

Hitherto brick-making machines have been exceedingly complicated in structure, large, unwieldly, and hence difficult of transportation, and very expensive as to first cost and operation. This is especially true of rotary machines, the revolving mold and press wheels being provided with much fine mechanism, and the systems of cams and springs employed for actuating the plungers render great care necessary to their successful operation.

It must follow, as a natural consequence, that in the operation of brickmachines a large amount of clay will fall on and over the mechanism, which, being in rapid revolution, will become much worn by the cutting action of thefine clay and clay-dust; hence the fewer parts and the greater their simplicity of form and adjustment the less will a machine be open to this objection.

By our invention many of these difficulties are obviated, having produced a machine simple and compact in construction, thus enabling it to be transported from one clay-field to another, composed of few parts, and therefore less liable to become worn, and requiring few hands while being operated, adapted to run at a high rate of speed, and to turn out daily a large number of bricks, uniform in. texture, regular in shape, and at a comparatively light outlay.

We would have it understood that we do not limit ourselves to the exact construction and arrangementof parts shown and described, but will hold ourselves at liberty to make such slight changes as come within the spirit and scope of our invention.

Having fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a brick-machine, the combination, with a mold-wheel, of a press-wheel having any desired number of compressors or blocks pivoted or hinged thereto, substantially as set forth.

2. In a brick-machine, the combination, with a mold-wheel, of a press-wheel formed with radial arms having compressors pivotally attached to their extremities, substantially as set forth.

3. In a brick-machine, the combination, with a mold-wheel, of a press-wheel having compressors pivotally secured thereto and furnished with rocking bearings the full width of the press-wheel.

4. In a brick-machine, the combinatiomwith a mold-wheel, of a press-wheel having a series of radial arms formed solid therewith, said arms having compressors pivoted or hinged'to their outer ends, substantially as set forth.

5. In a brick-machine, the combination, with the plungers having laterally-proj ectin g arms, of toothed wheels for actuating said plungers in ejecting the molded brick from the molds of the inold-wheel substantially as set forth.

6. In a brick-machine, the combination, with a mold-wheel having a series of molds and plungers located therein, of a press-wheel ele- .vated in vertical line over the mold-wheel,

said press-wheel provided with hinged compressors, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing we have hereunto set our hands this 18th day of March, 1880.

MICHAEL E. SMITH. ALEXANDER M. GLAZE.

Witnesses:

W. H. ORoss, R. H. MOON. 

